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Endocannabinoid Receptor Pharmacology

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Behavioral Neurobiology of the Endocannabinoid System

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences ((CTBN,volume 1))

Abstract

This chapter will review the basic pharmacology of endocannabinoid receptors. As the best-described cannabinoid receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), those will be the focus of this chapter. We will start with a basic review of GPCR signaling, as these concepts are critical to understanding the function of cannabinoid receptors. Next, several features of cannabinoid receptor signaling will be presented, with an emphasis on the effectors modulated by cannabinoid receptors. Finally, we will finish with a discussion of cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists and future directions. The aim of this chapter is to introduce the cannabinoid receptor pharmacology that will be necessary to appreciate the intricacies of endocannabinoid signaling presented in later chapters.

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Abbreviations

2AG:

2-Arachidonoylethanolamine

AEA:

Anandamide

GIRK:

G-protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channels

GPCR:

G-protein-coupled receptor

RTK:

Receptor tyrosine kinase

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroscience Research, Abbott Laboratories, 100 Abbot Park Road, Dept. R47W, Bldg AP9A, Abbott Park, IL, 60048, USA

    Betty Yao

  2. Department of Physiology and Brain Science, Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, 1101 E 10th St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA

    Ken Mackie

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Correspondence to Betty Yao .

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  1. Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, United Kingdom

    Dave Kendall

  2. Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, United Kingdom

    Stephen Alexander

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© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Yao, B., Mackie, K. (2009). Endocannabinoid Receptor Pharmacology. In: Kendall, D., Alexander, S. (eds) Behavioral Neurobiology of the Endocannabinoid System. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 1. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-88955-7_2

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